HEALTH chiefs today stressed that Teesside is well equipped to deal with swine flu if it spreads to the area.

The UK is already investigating 25 possible cases of the virus just days after it began killing people in Mexico.

Two people in Lanarkshire, Scotland tested positive last night but no suspected cases have been reported on Teesside.

A swine flu alert has been issued to all British hospitals and schools.

Professor Peter Kelly, executive director for public health across Teesside, today urged anyone with flu-like symptoms who has visited affected areas to stay at home and ring a doctor.

“If you have clinical symptoms and you have been to Mexico or an area of the US that has been affected in the last seven days you may have swine flu and you should contact your GP by telephone.”

Symptoms include fever, lack of appetite, a cough, a sore throat, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and aching all over.

The Foreign Office is warning people to avoid all but essential travel to Mexico.

Prof Kelly said Teesside is ready to deal with an outbreak should it occur.

“We have everything in place in terms of testing patients and giving them the proper treatment.

“There’s enough anti-viral medication for half the population so there’s not exactly a shortage.”

He said the area’s pandemic plans were updated and put into practice in February as part of a major exercise involving all local health organisations in which staff had to deal with a mock pandemic.

Director of clinical services and compliance for North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust, Julie Henderson said: “Planning for emergencies is part of our every day work.”

She said the most effective thing people can do is to wash their hands frequently, and added: “Flu can be passed through droplets in the air so it’s important we all follow the “catch it, bin it, kill it” guidance when we sneeze.”

So far 152 people are thought to have been killed in Mexico by the virus, which is caused when the H1N1 strain associated with pigs crosses over to humans.